Desert Snake Hears Mouse Footsteps with its Jaw

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The horned desert viper rests its head on the sand to listen for prey. A sand surface wave moves the left and right sides of the jaw independently and the vibrations travel to the quadrate stapes and inner ear. Image source: Friedel et al.
The horned desert viper rests its head on the sand to listen for prey. A sand surface wave moves the left and right sides of the jaw independently, and the vibrations travel to the quadrate, stapes and inner ear. Image source: Friedel, et al.
Just a few decades ago, some scientists doubted that snakes could hear at all. Snakes lack an outer ear and external ear openings, making it difficult to understand how the reptiles receive acoustic vibrations.


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